Playing with Fire & Forging Her Own Path
Let’s address the elephant in the room first: I know everyone is comparing this to a certain Disney princess. Do other strong female leads fit the bill? Sure. Am I mad at the comparison? Not even a little bit.
The Kingdom of Lyonesse might be entirely devoid of magic—though certainly not of relentless rain—but Niamh Smith’s story is anything but dry. After her forbidden witchcraft is exposed with devastating consequences, Niamh is forced to flee her home, disguise herself as a man, and step into hiding. She’s unwittingly swept directly into the crossfire of a brutal war between the King of Lyonesse and his sister, the infamous “Silver Witch.”
Despite living in a world where women aren’t permitted to practice the craft, Niamh is a prodigy at the forge. Drafted into preparing for battle, she takes up work in the smithy and finds herself balancing two incredibly complex dynamics: Bash, a fellow soldier who forms a deep bond with her without knowing she’s a woman, and Prince Fitzroy, the King’s bastard son and battle commander with whom she shares a tense, fragile connection.
Between two budding relationships, messy family ties, and a front-row seat to a war against a deadly magic user, Niamh has her hands completely full.
What Worked:
The Worldbuilding & Themes: The magic system is super fresh, and I loved the variety of magical beings weave into the lore.
Strong Feminist Lens: The story takes a sharp, unapologetic look at women’s rigid roles in society and what it takes to forge your own path.
A Capable FMC: While Niamh wasn’t my absolute favorite protagonist, I gained so much respect for her trade skills, expertise, and complete refusal to wallow in fear.
Where It Stumbled:
The Romance: The romantic subplots just didn’t fully land for me—I couldn’t quite bring myself to get invested in the love interest dynamics this time around.
That Character Loss: Look… I understand why the author killed off a certain character to drive the plot forward, but I don’t have to like it! That single death single-handedly knocked a half-star off my final rating.
Final Thoughts:
Even with the romantic disconnect and a heartbreak I’m still salty about, the stage is set for a fascinating sequel. There is plenty left to explore, and I’m definitely tuning in to see where Niamh’s journey leads next.
